


Having Faith

by aldendraco



Category: Pokemon + Nobunaga no Yabou | Pokemon Conquest
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gore, Two Shot, Violence, War, i have no idea what i am doing i just want my ships ok, probably idk, ransei
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-04-06 05:00:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14049453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aldendraco/pseuds/aldendraco
Summary: Things change amidst the war, and Aya knows that; she's ready to put her life on the line, but after the battle against Yaksha, a lot of things will change for her. However, even against the surging waves there are some things that will forever stay the same.[Aya x Kanetsugu, two-shot. WotH-divergent, in-game canon compliant, rated T for violence/injury].





	Having Faith

**Author's Note:**

> I guess this is a way for me to keep my writing skills intact until I'm able to devote enough time to my main project, Wrath of the Heavens (on FFnet) again! This was fun to write, and although it started as an one-shot ship & character study for Aya and Kanetsugu, it ended up turning into a two-shot (at least) full-fledged fic because I have zero impulse control. 
> 
> It's mostly based in the game canon with few alterations and has nothing to do with WotH. Features my versions of the Hero and Heroine (Hane and Tsubasa Asakura respectively), as well as one of my Conquest OCs, Sumire Naoe. She's supposed to be Kanetsugu's younger sister and also exists in WotH -I took this opportunity to flesh her out a little bit more. She's twelve years younger than Kanetsugu (he's twenty-six, she's fourteen). 
> 
> I guess that's all. This is unbeta-ed and it's almost eleven PM, so there might be mistakes. But nonetheless, enjoy!

The battle against Lord Kotaro had been won, and Yaksha had been captured, but Kanetsugu had been convinced that whatever battle would come in the future would be nowhere as bloody and savage as this one. Two of Lord Kotaro's ninjas had perished, and while there were no casualties on Lady Tsubasa's side, there were many wounded, that would need time to recover. To Kanetsugu's dismay, Lady Aya had been one of them. 

It had been a mistake on the part of her and Lady Oichi's timing, most likely. Aya was a powerful sorceress, but even she wasn't able to keep up her defenses forever, and it would take a few seconds between the barrier she'd put up dissipating and her being able to conjure another one. Oichi was supposed to be covering her for those tiny fractions of time, but at the exact moment Aya's shield had faded away Jigglipuff had taken a hit by an enemy Pawniard, and Oichi had been greatly disoriented by it. The next thing anyone knew was that Lord Kotaro had phased away from his duel with Lady Tsubasa, and had bolted towards the two defenceless women. 

Aya had been quick to act of course, as always. Oichi was still kneeling next to her partner, defenseless, and even with her sharpened reflexes the Illusian had barely been fast enough to throw her body between the younger woman and the ninja Lord -with the cost being that she hadn't been able to parry the oncoming blow. 

Kanetsugu would never forget the bloodcurdling scream his Lady had let out as the blades of Kotaro's gauntlets had slashed her across the face. The image of her writhing on the cold, rotten ground of Yaksha's battlefield, hands pressed over her face as blood streamed like a terrible crimson river between her fingers.

So much blood...

Kanetsugu had wanted nothing more than to rush by her side, but he was locked into a duel with a dark-haired ninja woman whose partner was a Golbat, and while his Kirlia held the upper hand in terms of type advantage, the bat Pokemon definitely surpassed it in speed. 

Lord Kenshin had been the one to make for Lady Aya's side immediately, though, having his Gallade cover for him. He parried what would have been Kotaro's finishing blow with a swing of his seven-pointed sword, while Lady Tsubasa was also heading their way. And Lord Kotaro was not a fool; he knew that even without Tsubasa's help, Kenshin's rage and sheer experience was enough to corner him. He phazed away from the Illusians, with the purpose of continuing his duel only with the Auroran warlord; after all, the damage had already been done. 

Kenshin had immediately knelt by his Aya's side, desperately pleading her to hold on, asking her what was wrong, trying to pry her hands away from her face in order to assess the damage. Soon his own hands were soaked in his sister's blood as well, but even he had not been able to get her to let him see to her wounds. To Kanetsugu's rising horror, not even Kenshin's presence had been able to put an end to Aya's agonising cries, though even these eventually faded as the pain and blood loss took their toll on her, and she passed out in Kenshin's shaking arms. 

Kanetsugu wanted to be there, by her side. Hold her hand. Make sure her wounds were treated properly. He had wanted to protect her; but he had been late, oh so late, and now the only thing he could do was pray, pray uselessly that her wounds weren't as serious as they seemed, that she would be strong enough to survive this. 

He wanted to do something, but there was nothing to do. He was useless, utterly and miserably useless, more so than he had ever been in his entire twenty-six years.

Kanetsugu could do nothing for her now. He could only fight, fight, fight and do his best to ensure that the battle was won; because if they lost, he knew it wasn't just an injury he, and Lady Aya, and everyone else would have to face, but death itself. 

-  
Against all odds, the battle had been won. Lord Hane had eventually heeded his twin sister's calling, and him switching sides had been a decisive factor; he wasn't as strong as Tsubasa was, but their combined skills and their sheer force of will, combined with the fact that only Kotaro himself, and one of his ninja warriors remained, had ensured a narrow but certain victory for the Southern Army. 

Lord Kotaro and any of his warriors that had survived the battle had disappeared immediately, and everyone suspected they would report back to Lord Nobunaga as soon as they could. But for now that did not concern them at all. The fact that they had won, that they and their partners were all alive -even so barely, but certainly alive- was more than just enough. Besides, they had the entirety of Yaksha's castle to themselves, as whatever servant or retainer still served after Lord Kotaro had tucked their tail between their legs and fled to Yaksha's murky forest as soon as the battle had begun. 

Of course, Tsubasa would still have to perform the full ritual in order for the Kingdom's Power Veins to accept her as the new rightful governor, but it was collectively decided that this could wait until everyone was settled and the wounded were cared for. 

Lord Kenshin, along with Oichi, had immediately taken Lady Aya into the castle and Kanetsugu, ignoring the pair of cuts that run across his chest and down to his abdomen, had followed behind them as quickly as he could, Kirlia in tow. Kenshin's tense, pale face had been enough of a message for the younger warrior to not ask any questions, but nonetheless the warlord seemed relieved to see him. Kanetsugu didn't even want to imagine the pain he himself was going through, both because of his literal connection to Aya, but also because of the fear he must have been feeling for her life. 

With Kanetsugu's and Oichi's help, Kenshin had laid his sister on the first bed they found. Despite the pitiful state of the castle's rotting exterior, most of the rooms and furniture inside were well-preserved and in tact, and they were even able to find some spare blankets in one of the room's drawers. 

Of course with Aya being unconscious, Kenshin had finally been able to give a quick inspection to the wound she had received. As the older warrior removed the woman's hands from her face, Kanetsugu heard Oichi next to him let out a short, shrill yelp, and his own stomach jumped to his throat; there was a sickeningly deep cut across the left part of Aya's face that had visibly damaged her eye. And all that blood... 

Oichi had immediately excused herself, and after receiving an affirmative nod from Lord Kenshin, Kanetsugu had followed suit; leaving his Lady's side was lowest in his list of priorities, but the younger woman looked as if she was about to fall over, and Kanetsugu knew the healers would have their hands full with everyone else already. He passed his arm under Oichi's, asking her if she was alright and suggesting she sat down for the time being.

"I-I'm perfectly fine, really." Her voice was shaking and weak, and Kanetsugu was certain she couldn't even convince herself about it. "I just... it's... everyone..." Tears shimmered in the corners of her eyes, and her voice wavered; Kanetsugu didn't push the matter any further, and just sat by her side in one of the stone benches that were built into the corridor's walls, waiting. 

Lady Tsubasa soon appeared, with her twin brother following suit. Now that his mind wasn't fogged by the heat of the battle and fear for his, Kirlia's, and everyone else's lives, Kanetsugu was immediately able to tell the striking similarities between the Yakshan siblings. However, Hane had none of Tsubasa's blazing strength or intense determination, and seemed far more peaceful and gentle. Even while he'd been by Kotaro's side, it had been evident that he had wanted none of this conflict, none of this pain. 

"Hane says he can treat Lady Aya." Tsubasa turned to Kanetsugu, nodding in response to him getting up and bowing his head to her. "He's been training as a healer for the past few years; apparently all the family's magical capabilities went over to him." She let out a weak chuckle that rang hollow to everyone's ears. It had been a desperate attempt to light up the mood, but even Tsubasa's bright and optimistic demeanor seemed to have dimmed. 

"I am certain both my Lord and Lady will be thankful for his assistance." Kanetsugu assured her then bowed to Hane as well, although begrudgingly; maybe all of this could have been avoided if he had just joined his sister from the beginning...

Hane seemed desperate to atone for his mistakes, however, and if Tsubasa had already forgiven and accepted him, then Kanetsugu had no say in the matter; he opened the door for him, and then headed off, leaving Oichi and Lady Tsubasa to their own business. After all, he had his own sister to care for.

He found Sumire and Togetic chatting with Takatora, Tsubasa's strategist and right-hand man, under the stone gates of the castle. Upon spotting him, Sumire made up a hasty excuse to her discussant and made for her brother in lightning speed, almost knocking him off his feet when she jumped onto his arms. 

"Hey there, watch it." He tried to joke as he spun her around in a half-circle. "It would be a pity if I survived the fight only to be hugged to death by my own little sister."

Sumire let out a short, weak giggle as she let go, Togetic hovering around her head and cooing. However, Kanetsugu saw her eyes were red and puffy, and he realised she'd been crying. 

"What is it? Is something wrong?" He asked, suddenly painfully aware that his baby sister had just so narrowly escaped death. He winced, as an array of images flashed through his mind; Sumire in Lady Aya's stead, crying and thrashing as blood streamed down her hands. Sumire's unconscious, frozen body. Sumire's last breath leaving her lungs, a crushing guilt choking him at the realisation that he had been unable to protect his beloved sister. 

It was so easy for a life to end. It could have been so easy for Sumire to have been the one that got hurt instead of his Lady. It could have been so easy for him to have been in Kenshin's stead.   
He felt guilty when he realised he was grateful that he wasn't. Yet no one should have had to see their loved ones get so heavily injured. 

"Well, of course something's wrong!" Sumire's broken, high-pitched voice brought him out of his thoughts abruptly. "Don't play dumb! You-You saw Lady Aya! You heard her! A-All that blood..." She looked down, small hands fiddling with a few torn strings hanging from her long detached sleeves. "I'm scared." She admitted. 

Kanetsugu let out a sight and wrapped his arms around her again, desperate to feel her there, alive and well -at least physically. 

"Lady Aya is one of the strongest warriors I have ever seen. She's Illusio's warlord. She's going to be okay." He wanted to believe in these words so badly, yet he couldn't bring himself to hope for too much. Nonetheless, he went on. "She's gotten hurt before, you know. Remember all the stories she's told us? It's not her first battle." 

Sumire just sniffed, burying her face onto his chest, not minding his blood that was smeared across her cheek as he did so. 

"Is every battle going to be like this from now on?" She asked quietly. "I wanted to see the world, and fight for Illusio, and for the good of Ransei. But... I didn't... I didn't think it would be like that!" She almost shouted hopelessly. "Why, brother?! Why did Lord Kotaro want to kill us? We had never wanted to kill anyone -we had only wanted to do what was right!" 

Her voice escalated as she spoke, until she was almost yelling. Kanetsugu tightened his hold on her, patting her lavender-coloured hair gently. 

"This is what we're fighting for, Sumi-chan. To make sure that the ones that are out to spill blood will not come out on top. It..." He swallowed down the knot in his throat. "It requires sacrifices. Some greater than others." 

"I... I don't want Lady Aya, or Lord Kenshin, or you to sacrifice yourselves!" The young girl yelped, shaking her head in denial. "I don't want to lose you, Kan-nii!"

Kanetsugu suddenly realised that all the fear he'd held for Sumire must have been the same for her; of course, he concluded. Sumire was the younger sister. Lord Kenshin was the younger brother. Sumire saw herself in him, and her own brother in Aya -which was as flattering as it was nowhere near the truth of course, but nonetheless it was a source of distress for her. He let out a sigh and knelt down to be on her eye level. 

"You won't lose me." He smiled, despite he knew he had no way of making sure of that. "Mother and Father tasked me with taking care of you, and I can't do that if I'm dead now, can I? Mom would have my head if I ever left you alone, I am sure. So I promise I'll stay and watch over my demon of a little sister, alright?" 

That seemed to get Sumire to smile -in fact, she giggled again, and this time it sounded a little more real than before. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand and looked up at him, a small smile illuminating her olive-green eyes that were identical to his. 

"Alrighty then, Kan-nii." She grinned a little wider. "I will make sure you keep that promise! And... don't you need to do something about t-these?!" Her face fell again as she beheld the gashes that were visible underneath his shredded clothes. 

"I don't think it's anything serious, really." Kanetsugu insisted, though he knew he should at least get the gashes cleaned up; an infection was the least anyone needed, and it definitely wasn't on the list of things he had wanted to try out. "I promise I'll take care of it as soon as Lord Hane finishes treating Lady Aya and besides, it doens't even hurt." Well, not that much at least. But with all the haste and intensity of the battle and the events that came after it, he had barely felt a slight stinging when he moved his right arm. Certainly nothing alarming. 

Sumire didn't seem entirely convinced about it, but she didn't press the matter -she must have known Lady Aya's injury had already distressed her brother enough. 

"If you say so." She gave up. Kanetsugu nodded, placing his hand on the top of her head again and ruffling her hair slightly. 

"How about you, little demon? You didn't get hurt, did you?" He asked, trying to hide the immense concern from slipping into his voice. 

"Nah!" Sumire grinned again at that. "Not a scratch! Togetic kept me safe at all times!" She stretched out her arms, and her partner floated down into her embrace with a happy, proud cry. She immediately pulled it closer, nuzzling her cheek against its smooth, silky feathers. Kanetsugu couldn't hold back a smile of his own at the sight, and he smiled down on Kirlia as it wrapped its slended, dainty arms around his leg in a display of affection. 

"Well then, I suppose you and Takatora will be taking the first sentry duty?" He assumed it would be so, seeing the two warriors were the only ones that weren't as affected by the battle as anyone else. Speaking in terms of being physically affected anyway, as Kanetsugu was certain none of the warriors had been mentally indifferent to anything that had occured during the fight. 

Confirming his suspicions, Sumire nodded. 

"Yeah. Lady Tsubasa asked us to, and besides I don't think I could have slept anyway, even if we didn't have to be on night watch duty." She admitted, shrugging and looking away. Kanetsugu couldn't restrain a sad sigh. 

"I'm afraid battles do this to us, don't they?" He looked down in dismay -his thirteen-year old sister shouldn't have had to go through this. Not yet. "Tell you what, if you can't sleep at night, you'll come and tell me, yes? You've done that before, why stop now?" 

"I guess..." suddenly the younger girl didn't seem all too eager to continue the conversation on that topic, and Kanetsugu decided to let it go for now. There would be plenty of time for talking about this later; and there were still many battles to be fought, too. 

He watched as his sister skipped away, back into her position under the overarching stone entrance. She apologised to Takatora for the delay, and they seemed to pick up on their conversation from where they'd left it. Kanetsugu felt a small amount of relief swirling inside his chest; it was good to see that his sister was finally making some friends of her own, and Takatora could make a great mentor figure to her. He was a strong and capable warrior, and he seemed to be good with kids. Kanetsugu had overheard him once while he was talking with Oichi -apparently he had three younger siblings of his own back home, in Aurora. Kanetsugu made a mental note to maybe ask him about that later, after everything was set. Maybe Takatora's siblings and Sumire could meet each other and be friends after the war. Some friends her age would do her good, he supposed. 

For now, however, he had to set those hopeful, optimistic hopes aside. He was abruptly pulled back to the bleak, uncertain present, where no hope of a bright future where Ransei was at peace and his sister was alive and well could be taken for granted. There was work to be done yet, and Kanetsugu found his steps leading him back towards the room where he'd left the Illusian warlords. The familiar knot rose again in his throat, and he fought bravely to push down the thoughts of despair and terror as he imagined what news he could very well be greeted with.

At that thought, he shook his head violently, as if trying to shake it off. No, he couldn't afford to think like that. None of them could. Lady Aya was still alive; wounded, but alive, and he had to have faith in her, have faith that she would make it. If they lost faith now, he knew they would eventually lose everything in this endless war. 

So he walked, and prayed, and begged Arceus and all the Guardians and all the ancient, mystic powers that governed Ransei, that Lady Aya would be able to make it through this battle -the battle that no one, perhaps not even Lord Kenshin himself, would be able to aid her through this time.


End file.
